The Unheard: Florence Price’s Lost String Quartet

Louisville Public Media’s 90.5 WUOL, in partnership with the Muhammad Ali Center, presents the modern-day premiere of a recently discovered string quartet by Florence Price. The premiere is set to take place on July 13 at 7:30 p.m. at The Muhammad Ali Center, View Pointe Hall.

Price is generally considered the first African-American woman to be recognized as a symphonic composer. This free family event will feature both music and historical context, with musicians from The Louisville Orchestra, singers from The Black Classical Artists of Louisville, and speaker Douglas Shadle (Vanderbilt University).

The performance will also be broadcast live on 90.5 WUOL at 7:30 pm. Access our live stream here.

Kimberly Tichenor, Robert Simonds, Meghan Casper, and Allison Braid Olsen are musicians in the Louisville Orchestra and will perform a lost string quartet by Florence Price on at the event.

Singers Brittany Benningfield, Phillip Morgan, and Dr. Angelique Clay Everett will sing works written or arranged by Florence Price.

“Price’s quartet demonstrates her deep engagement with spirituals over the course of her career,” said Shadle. “The fact that we can hear it now marks a heartwarming turn in what had been the heartbreaking story behind her music’s extended absence from concert halls.”

Musicologist Douglas Shadle will give historical context and lead a Q&A.

“The Unheard” is 90.5 WUOL’s recital series featuring lesser-known works by women and minority composers who have been left out of the classical music canon for reasons unrelated to talent. Providing forgotten composers like Florence Price a platform to be heard can help ensure an “unheard” series becomes obsolete. Until then, Louisville Public Media will work to include all deserving voices in classical music.

“The Unheard” is an official event of the citywide “I Am Ali” Festival and 90.5 WUOL’s “Summer Listening,” a free program designed to encourage parents and their children to listen to classical music together over the summer vacation.

“The Ali Center is honored to be part of 90.5 WUOL’s ‘The Unheard’ series, particularly because this premiere will help illuminate the greatness of Florence Price — as an African-American and as a woman — and let her voice be heard for the community,” said Jeanie Kahnke, spokesperson for the Muhammad Ali Center. “It is a perfect addition to the ‘I Am Ali’ Festival lineup of events.”

Sign up to be a Summer Listener and find out about more free events and educational resources at wuol.org/summerlistening.